Apparatus for mineral separation



M. CONSTANT APPARATUS FOR MINERAL SEPARATION Aug. 2z, 1939.

Filed March l0, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 MZMNVENTOK BY Z ATTORNEYS,

Aug. 22, 1939.

M. CONSTANT APPARATUS FOR MINERAL SEPARATION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I WM ATTORNEYS,

Aug. 22, 1939. M. coNs'rAN'r 2,170,069

APPARATUS FOR MINERAL sEPARAToN Filed March 10, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 75 1 .55 3/ i if 1: I 66 l l 1 e 2 8/ n g2 z 7/ 70 69 I 65 E f 4 i :l

, .'60 l 3 Z/ i 3'? 71 l lill/Z` /l//l//l .2 EVENTOR v SYM WM,

ATTORNEYS,

Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 14 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in machinery for separating gold or other metals from placer material, ground ore, pulp, slimes and other liquid mixtures. Y

The objects' of my invention are to provide improved means to recover flour gold or the extremely fine metal particles, which by reason of their neness or on account of being greasy, are diflicult to recover by the ordinary sluices, tables, jigs and other machines now in common use.

It is well known that in certain placer ground and in the pulp produced by grinding machines, ball mills, stamps, etc., there are often valuable quantities of our gold or other metals which by reason of fineness, or because of its chemical composition, or by reason of being coated with some oily substance, will remain in the liquid and be carried oil? in the tailings rather than precipitated upon the cloths, riles, amalgam plates, or other. means provided to catch same.

It is one of lthe objects of my invention to provide means to capture such ilour gold.

I accomplish these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my apparatus on the line of Figure 2, but for clearness omitting the sectioning of the baille plates;

Figure 2 is a top or plan view with a portion of the upper part broken away to disclose the float discharge trough and pipe;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, but with a portion of the screen over the rile box broken away to disclose the construction of the rifes and with a part of the riilie grooves and the feed chutes omitted for simplicity;

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line Figure 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

My apparatus comprises a tank, with headplate 2 and foot-plate I and side plates 3 and 4 preferably continuous with and forming a rounded bottom for the tank.

A feed hopper 6 is united to the head-plate of l--l of I the tank and slopes downwardly into the tank and projects into the riflle box hereafter described.

An apron 6a is united to the head-plate 2 and extends downwardly into the riffle box to form a part of the feed-chute and prevent splashing or surging of the pulp as it is fed into the tank from the hopper through the opening 6b.

A door-plate 83 is slidably mounted upon the head-plate 2 and adapted when in its lowered position to close the opening 6b and prevent ingress of the pulp. It may be opened by raising it by the handle 84 and secured in its raised position by any suitable means.

Inside of the tank I mount a riilie box which inclines downwardly from the feed end of the ifil box to and through the foot-plate I of the The riille box includes a bottom board, or plate 50 with side boards 30 suitably united thereto. The rifile box is supported upon rolls 48 and 51 carried by swinging arms 42 and 54 which are pivoted upon shafts 4I and 55 the ends of which are secured in suitable bearing plates 45 and 5| united to the sides of the tank so as to permit a free swinging movement of the riflle box lengthwise when vibrated by the eccentric 12 whichis driven by a shaft 13. An eccentric strap 1| is mounted upon the eccentric 12 and to an arm pivotally connected to the link 68 by a pivot 69. The opposite end of the link 68 is pivotally united toa bracket 84 riveted to one end of the riille box by rivets 63. A spring 6| has one end united to the riffle box and its opposite end united to the tank in order to smooth the vibrative action of the riilie box to some extent.

The tank is preferably constructed with a length and depth of about twelve feet which will allow the rile boxY to be about twelve feet long. I prefer to make the riille box about four feet wide and mount it in a tank about six feet wide. This will afford a space of about one foot on each side of the riie box. The riille box is preferably mounted in the tank at a depth of from four to ten feet below the water level.

The lower end of the rile box projects outwardly through the foot-plate of the tank and into a tailings chamber ||I which may be formed integral with or suitably united to the tank and in which an elevator is mounted whichvcan carry the tailings upwardly and discharge them into any desired bin or carrier. A

The side boards 30 of the rifile box are preferably a foot or more in height and extend the full length of the riille box. They act to guide ythe incoming stream or current of pulp downwardly through the tank and to discharge the pulp through the discharge opening in the foot-plate.

About halfway up the sides of the riille box I mount a screen 3| preferably of about ten mesh,`

which will prevent any large pieces of rock from settling in the riilles, but will readily permit the nes to settle through it and be precipitated upon the riilles.

In order to capture the fines, I provide a longitudinal groove 8| extending lengthwise of the bottom board 50 in the middle thereof with oblique branches 82 extending outwardly and to the rear.

These grooves are preferably rectangular but may be of any desired section.

To discharge the precipitates from the riiile box I provide an opening at the lower end of the groove 8| with a short pipe secured therein extending downwardly therefrom. An outlet pipe 39 is secured ,in the bottom of the tank and a rubber or iiexible hose 40 is used to connect the pipe 4l in the bottom of the riiile to the outlet pipe 39. A manually operable valve 33 is mounted in the pipe 39 by which the opening thereof may be regulated as desired.

Upon the bottom board of the rifiie box, beyond the outlet 4I I mount a line screen 32 evenwith the top of the board 50 with a settling chamber below it which may be filled with buckshot 33 supported by a coarser screen 34 so that any lines which are precipitated but not carried o by the outlet 4i may be caught in this screen chamber and discharged through a cone 35 and pipe 38 with a manually operablevalve 3i mounted therein.

The tailings elevator may be of any desired type in common use. I prefer an elevator having an endless belt 1 passing over upper and lower pulleys or sprockets i6 and i1 carried by shafts i and i4. The belt 1 carries buckets 8 which may be of any desired size and shape.

In order to stabilize the body of water in the tank, I mount in the tank a plurality of transverse baille-plates 29 which may be secured in place by angle irons, lugs, or other suitable means and which extend to the bottom of the tank at the sides of the riiile box, and also extend upwardly nearly to the water level.

Each baille 29 extends clear across the tank above the rile box, but has a portion cut away to permit free vibration of the riilie box.

If desired, the bailies may be so constructed as to have a portion extending into the upper part of the riilie box between the side boards. I prefer to have the middle portion of-the baille-plates terminate slightly above the side boards.

In order to prevent deposition of fines upon the bottom of the tank, and to facilitate upward movement of any oatable particles of metal, I provide pipes 16, 11, 11 and 11" to introduce into the bottom of the tank a continuous stream of clear water which will move upwardly and laterally. This movement of the fresh Water will also aid in conning the current of pulp to the rifile box.

At the top of the baiiles 29 I mount a screen 28 preferably from one-fourth to one-half an inch below the water level and which extends the full width and nearly the full length of the tank. This screenwill permit the upward passage of any floating particles of metal that by reason of chemical composition or being coated with any oily or greasy substance, are inclined to float.

This screen is preferably of rather ne mesh but may be of any desired fineness.

The sides of the screen 28 are preferably covered with plates or planks 28' sovas to confine the upward movement of the fine particles and the fluid to the middle portion of the tank.

Brackets 24 and I9 are united to the head and foot-plates of the tank and carry shafts 23 and 2| upon which wide belt pulleys 22 and I8 are mounted which carry a iiat belt 26. The belt 26 is fitted with a plurality of transverse bars or rakes 21 of just suincient length to rake the screen 23 and carry any metal particles which have come upwardly through the screen along to theA foot of the screen where they are deposited in a trough 9B and discharged from the tank through a pipe 86 into a strainer or dewaterer 81 which may be secured to the outside of the tank by a strap 88.

A large discharge pipe Illa is secured in the bottom of the tailings chamber I0 through which not precipitated at all at or the chamber ill may be ushed out when necessary. An overow outlet illb is provided near the upper end of the chamber I0 to carry oit any excess fluid in case of overcharge, and to maintain the water level in the tank at the desired height.

Suitable means are provided to drive the screen rake, to vibrate the riille box and to operate the elevator, but as such means form no part of my invention, I have omitted them for clearness. Any or all of these pieces of apparatus may be driven by electric motor or other prime mover as desired, or by belting.

In the operation of my apparatus, the tank is rst filled with clear water to the desired Water` level. The door t3 is then opened and the pulp fed into the tank from the feed hopper and into the riliie box. At the same time, .the driving means are set in operation to actuate the vibrator, elevator and screen rake.

As the elevator operates, its buckets carry out a certain amount of Water, thus allowing liquid from the riiile box to pass into the tailings chamber. This, in connection with the feeding action of the pulp into the riiile box, will cause a stream or current of pulp to pass along through the riille box and the bailles in the tank will act to'prevent a spreading out or diversion of this stream.

At the same time, any floatable particles will be free to rise in the water of the tank between the baffles and to and through the upper screen where they will be acted upon by the rake and carried to the trough 90 and thence to to the strainer 81.

The heavier particles of metal will settle through the screen 3| and down into the grooves tl and 82 where they will travel gradually downwardly to the discharge pipe 4I.

The waste will be carried out of the lower end of the riille box into the tailings chamber and disposed of by the elevator.

In practice, it will be necessary to vary the timing of the current, the proportion of feed and of clear water introduced into the tank, the speed of the rake and the elevator and the speed of the vibration of the riiile box to meet the requirements of each particular case, it being well known to those skilled in the art that there is a great diversity in the size and character of the metal particles in different placer districts and in the pulps or ground ores coming from different districts and different grinding processes.

One of the great advantages of my apparatus is the ease with which all the varying elements may be controlled and regulated so as to properly proportion the depth of water, the time allowed for precipitation, the proportion of clear water to pulp, etc.

While the reason for it is perhaps not entirely clear, I have'found in practice that a good precipitation of flour gold can be obtained .under a head or pressure of from four to ten feet of water which could only be partially precipitated or near the surface of the water.

It is likewise obvious that my provisions for an upwardly moving body of clear water at the sides of the riilie box, will tend to prevent lateral spreading of the current therein, and that the lateral closures at the top of the tank will tend to cause upwardly moving particles to be carried to the middle of and through the upper screen. As a small amount of water will be carried out of the tank by the action of the rake, there will be a constant slowly rising current of clear water at the sides 'of vthe rliile box which will facilitate the upward movement of the flne particles without interfering with the precipitation of the heavier matter in the ritile box.

I use the term submerged in the claims, to indicate any substantial submergence of the riffie box, and deeply submerged to indicate any depth in excess of four feet.

It is obvious that many modifications may be made of my apparatus without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not limit my claims to the pre'cise forms or proportions shown or described herein.

Neither do I limit my process to thev recovery of particles of virgin metal, because it is obvious that both the flotation and the precipitation may be applicable to various chemical combinations of precious metals and minerals.

I claim:

1. In a machine for recovering fine particles of metal from an aqueous mechanical solution thereof, the combination with a tank containing a body of aqueous liquid and having an inclined submerged riille box mounted therein, of means lor slowly passing a stream or current of such solution along and through the rife box under a substantial head of water, and for drawing off the precipitant at the lower end of the rill-es, a series of transverse bailles secured in the tank adapted to restrict longitudinal movement of fluid therein, above and at both sides of the said current, and means for vibrating the rile box.

2. A machine for the recovery of flour gold or the like, comprising a tank containing a large body of water with outlet means adapted to maintain a constant level of the liquid therein, 'an inclined submerged vibratory riile box mounted in the tank, an intake united to the tank adapted to conduct a stream of pregnant solution into the upper end of the riiiie box, a tailings chamber with elevator therein adapted to receive and carry of the barren solution from the lower end of the rifile box, discharge means at the lower end of the riflle box adapted to carry the precipitates from the tank, a horizontal screen secured in the tank slightly below the water level adapted to permit passage of lighter particles of mineral ascending in the solution, and a rake adapted to carry the float from the screen.

3. A machine for the recovery of flour gold or the like, comprising a tank containing a large body of water with outlet means adapted to maintain a constant level of the liquid therein, an inclined submerged vibratory rile box mounted in the tank, an intake united to the tank adapted to conduct a stream of pregnant solution into the upper end of the riilie box, a tailings chamber with elevator therein adapted to receive and carry off the barren solution from the lower end of the riflle box, discharge means at the lower end of the riie box adapted to carry the precipitates from the tank, a horizontal screen secured in the tank slightly below the water level adapted to permit passage of lighter particles of mineral ascending in the solution, means to discharge the float into a strainer, and intake pipes leading into the bottom of the tank to supply fresh water thereto below the riiile box.

4. A machine for the recovery of our gold or the like, comprising a tank containing a large body of water with outlet means adapted to maintain a constant level of the liquid therein, an inclined submerged trough mounted in the tank, intake means united to the tank adapted to conduct a stream of pregnant solution to the upper end of the trough, discharge means adapted to carry off separately from the lower end of' the trough the barren solution, a horizontal screen secured in the tank slightly below the water level adapted to permit passage of lighter particles of mineral ascending in the solution, and a rake adapted to carry the float from the screen.

5. A machine for the recovery of flour gold or the like, comprising a tank containing a large body of water with outlet means adapted to maintain a constant level of the liquid therein, an inclined submerged vibratory riffle box mounted in the tank, an intake to thetank adapted to conduct a stream of pregnant solution into the upper end of the riflle box, ar tailings chamber with elevator therein adapted to carry off from the lower end of the riflle box the barren solution, discharge means at the lower end of the rime box adapted to carry the precipitates from the tank, a.- horizontal screen secured in the tank slightly below the water level adapted to permit passage of lighter particles of mineral ascending in the solution, a rake adapted to carry the float from the screen, intake pipes leading into the bottom of the tank to supply fresh water thereto below the riie box, and a plurality of transverse baille plates extending across the tank above the riille box, and downwardly at each side of the riie box, adapted to restrict longitudinal movement of the liquid outside of the rillle box.

6. A machine for the recovery of ne particles of metal such as flour gold or the like from an aqueous mixture containing same, comprising a tank containing a relatively large body of water with an outlet at the desired water level therein, a submerged rifile box mounted in the tank sloping downwardly from the intake, an intake to lead the pregnant mixture into the rime box having a gate to regulate the quantity and rate of flow so as to permit subsidence and deposit of metal in the rile box by gravity, balles mounted in the tank extending above and at the sides of the riftie box at right angles thereto to conne the flowing mixture substantially to the rile box, an outlet in the floor of the lower end of the riille box to carry off the precipitate, and an outlet in the tank near the foot of the riille box to carry off the tailings.

7. A machine for the recovery of ne particles of metal such as flour gold or the likel from an aqueous mixture containing same, comprising a ltank containing a relatively large body of water with an outlet at the desired water level therein, a submerged rile box mounted in the tank sloping downwardly from the intake, an intake to lead the pregnant mixture into the riilie box having a gate to regulate the quantity and rate of ow so as to permit subsidence and deposit of metal in the riflie box by gravity, baflles mounted in the tank extending above and at the sides of the riie box at right angles thereto to confine the flowing mixture substantially to the riflle box, a primary outlet in the oor of the lower end of the rile box to carry off the precipitate, a secondary outlet in the floor of the riiile box comprising a fine screen united to and even with the upper face of such floor, a coarser screen secured to such floor and spaced from the first screen with buckshot or its equivalent interposed between vthe two screens to catch and detain the metal particles, an outlet in the tank near the foot of the riiile box to carry off the tailings.

8. A machine for the recovery of ne particles of metal such as flour gold or the like from an aqueous mixture containing same, comprlsmg a tank containing a relatively large body of water with an outlet at the desired water level therein, a submerged xiiiie box mounted in the tank sloping downwardly from the intake, an intake to lead the pregnant mixture into the rime box having a gate to regulate the quantity and rate of iiow so as to permit subsidence and deposit of metal in the riiie box by gravity, bailies mounted in the tank extending above and at the sides of the rife box at right angles thereto to conne the flowing mixture substantially to the riille box, an outlet in the oor oi the lower lend oi the rime box to carry 0E the precipitate, a tailings chamber at the rear of the tank, an outlet in the tank near the foot of the rlie box to carry the tailings into such chamber and means to discharge the tailings therefrom.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a stationary tank having a fluid inlet and outlet and containing a body of aqueous liquid, of an inclined rifiebox comprising a tight bottom with riiiles formed therein, and with sides extending upwardly therefrom, a screen mounted in the riiilebox spaced above the bottom and extending from side to side, a feed chute to deliver pulp to the upper end of the screen, means comprising stationary transverse baille plates for guiding a stream of liquid downwardly along the screen, an outlet for separately drawing off the precipitant from the bottom of the rifilebox and an elevator to continuously remove the coarser material mingled with iiuid from the lower end of the screen, said riilebox being submerged in liquid to a depth sufilcient to cause deposition of the our gold, and means for vibrating the rifflebox longitudinally without moving the tank.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a stationary tank having fluid inlets at the bottom of the tank and outlets near the top thereof, and containing a body of aqueous liquid, of an inclined riillebox comprising a tight bottom with riilles formed therein, with sides extending upwardly therefrom, a screen mounted in the riillebox spaced above the bottom and extending from side to side, a feed chute to deliver pulp to the upper end of the screen, means comprising stationary transverse baille plates for guiding a stream of liquid pulp downwardly along the screen, means for separately drawing oi the precipitant from the bottom of the riiilebox and the coarser material from the lower end of the screen, said riillebox being submerged in liquid to a depth sufficient to cause deposition of the flour gold, and means for vibrating the riillebox longitudinally without moving the tank.

11. In a machine of the class described, a stationary tank having uid inlets at the bottom of the tank and outlets near the top thereof, and containing a body of aqueous liquid, an inclined riillebox comprising a tight bottom with riilies formed therein, with sides extending upwardly therefrom, a screen mounted in the riiliebox spaced above the bottom and extending from side to side, a feed chute to deliver pulp to the upper end of the screen, a series of transverse bafes mounted in the tank spaced above the rifrlebox but with sides extending downwardly at both sides of said riillebox to confine and guide the stream of pulp downwardly along the screen,

means for separately drawing off the precipitant from the bottom of the riillebox and the coarser material from the lower end of the screen, said riiilebox being submerged in the solution to a aisance depth suflicient to cause deposition o! the flour gold, and means for vibrating the riiliebox longitudinally Without moving the tank.

12. In a machine of the class described, a stationary tank having a fluid inlet at the bottom thereof and outlet near the top thereof and above the bailies hereinafter mentioned and containing a body of aqueous liquid, an inclined submerged rimebox comprising a tight bottom with riflies formed therein, with sides extending upwardly therefrom, a screen mounted in the rifiiebox spaced above the bottom and extending from side to side, a feed chute to deliver pulp to the upper end of the screen, a series of transverse b afiles mounted in the tank spaced above the riiiiebox but with sides extending downwardly at both sides of said riffiebox to confine and guide the stream of pulp downwardly along the screen, outlets for separately drawing oi the precipitant from the bottom of the rifllebox and the coarser material from the lower end of the screen, said riillebox being submerged in the solution to a depth sufficient to cause deposition of the flour gold, and means for vibrating the riiilebox longitudinally without moving the tank.

i3. In a machine of the class described, a stationary tank having a lower fluid inlet and an upper outlet near the top thereof and above the baflies and containing a body of aqueous liquid1 an inclined vibratory rlfilebox comprising a tight bottom having rifiies formed therein and with sides extending upwardly therefrom, a screen mounted in the riiilebox spaced above the bottom and extending from side to side, a feed chute to deliver pulp to the upper end of the screen, a series of stationary transverse bailles mounted in the tank spaced above the riillebox but with sides extending downwardly at both sides of said rifebox to confine and guide the stream of pulp downwardly along the screen and to confine the upward movement of the fluid from the lower inlet on its way to the upper outlet, and outlets for separately drawing oi the precipitant from the bottom of the riiliebox and the coarser material from the lower end of the screen, said riillebox being submerged in the solution to a deph suilicient to cause deposition of the flour gol 14. A machine for the recovery of flour gold or the like, comprising a stationary tank containing a large body of water having an outlet near the top to maintain a constant level of the liquid therein, an inclined, submerged vibratory rifliebox substantially narrower than the tank mounted in the tank, an intake secured to the tank at the upper end of the riiilebox to conduct a stream of pregnant solution into that end of the riiilebox under a substantial head and having a manually operable gate to regulate the flow of pregnant solution into the tank, a tailings chamber with elevator therein adapted to carry oil' from the lower end of the riillebox the barren solution, a plurality of transverse baille plates extending across the tank above the riiiebox and downwardly at each side of the riiliebox to restrict longitudinal movement of the liquid in the tank outside of the riillebox without obstructing the vertical movement of the liquid in the tank, the tops of said bailles having a uniform height and being located slightly below the iirst mentioned outlet.

MAURICE CONSTANT. 

